/\ that is insane that less than 4% of applicants were approved. To put in bluntly, I think there is just far too much money that can be generated through marijuana sales. Most if not all major pharmacetical companies have plans to sell tincture for heroin prices. It is through means of legislation that most corporations develop a death hold on a market and create their own oligarchy. Money buys laws through lobbyist. Tobacco is a plant much similar to marijuana in that it can easily be grown, dried, and smoked and yet how many cigarette smokers have tobacco plants in their back yard? Not many unfortunately, and although I haven't researched it myself, it is pretty hard to grow commercial tobacco unless you are already a tycoon. The same is true of coca and poppy, its not like coke and heroin is made in high grade sophisticated factories(well, not most of it)- most of it is made in jungle like conditions. 4% sounds like you have to know/ be related to the right people, and an attempt to control supply and demand.
Also one of the reasons I love pot smokers. Of all the drug user cultures- coffee and alcohol included, stoners are the most innovative. I hope we don't let huge corporations take over and control weed. I have a hard time seeing that happen as there is and has been such a huge and thriving underground culture of growing, and it has been much more illegal than it currently stands. Part of the price spike is people trying to be compliant with the new regulation, because after all legal weed is every stoners dream- or so we thought. IF regulation proves to be more burdensome than growing underground, people will go back to black market. The black market will inevitably start to thrive being that the more acceptable recreational use becomes, the less taboo, the less sense harsh punishments and strict laws regarding it will make, and ultimately less "illegal" it will become. This is the current progression the market has made and will continue to make imo. The "green rush" in california was caused by just this, except under the guise of "medicinal"- not to take away from the medical movement, but it is true there are quite a few people who have cards without legitimate medical uses. The medical laws have served as a route to legal recreational use, just like during alcohol prohibition doctors were giving out rxs for alcohol- give me a break.
In the society we live within, it all comes down to dollars and who is getting them. If more funds can be raised by taxing legal use rather than raids, imprisonment and rehab, it will go national in the same way that medical is going near national. Its why they simply can't just make it legal. The world wouldn't go crazy, there is just too much money to be made.
